The original foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy have ancient origins, stemming from the classical Stoic philosophy of Epictetus (Discourses and Enchiridion) and Marcus Aurelius (Meditations).  This formed the backbone of what later inspired the modern development of scientific psychotherapy by Aaron Beck, who is generally regarded as the founder of modern Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 

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Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius both agreed that human beings were not passive receptacles that responded to their environments as machines would respond to instructions, but rather they could choose how to respond to stimuli; to adapt instead of merely reacting. The same would be true of our thinking. As Epictetus eloquently put it: 'No man is free who is not the master of himself.'

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Behaviourists of the 20th century focused on the tangible and observable, as did their psychotherapeutic methods. Another early contributor to scientific psychotherapy was Albert Ellis, who developed Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). Such behaviourist methods include desensitising clients to phobias by facing their fears in the real world. 

 

Behavioural experiments, and applying the scientific method to one's own personal life, was what made scientific psychotherapy distinct from alternatives like psychoanalysis.  Aaron Beck's Cognitive Therapy was developed to identify problematic or dysfunctional thinking patterns that inhibited people's quality of life.  Cognitive Behavoural Therapy is widely recognised as the gold standard in evidence based psychological treatment.

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Clockwise starting from the left side: Marcus Aurelius, Aaron Beck, Albert R. Ellis, Epictetus